


Grow up together

by dunklenacht310



Series: Scents [4]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Growing Up, Kids, M/M, Married Life, Omega presenting, a/b/o dynamics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-12
Updated: 2019-08-12
Packaged: 2020-08-20 01:44:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20219737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dunklenacht310/pseuds/dunklenacht310
Summary: Zayn and Harry's first-born son presents.A fic about growing up, having a family, and loving it to the point it scares you, sometimes.





	Grow up together

**Author's Note:**

> The mature tag is not for any scene present in this work, but just for the themes handled in it.

It has been a total nightmare to convince Zayn to go to work when he knows Eric is sick, but Harry has managed, with the promise that he’ll stay with their son, because _he _doesn’t have work today.

One would think that Zayn would have chilled out now that their son is fourteen and their daughter is ten, but no, he’s still an overprotective little shit even if it’s about a normal flu, Harry chuckles to himself. Zayn even took care of making sure Nora could stay at Liam and Louis’s for a while, to avoid her being infected by The Disease as well.

When he feels the scent, though, Harry’s kinda happy Zayn and Nora are out.

Harry flares his nostrils a little bit, and _yes_, he’s sure about what he’s smelling. So he quietly sets down the dishes he was drying in the kitchen, and tiptoes up the stairs, to Eric’s room.

The door is closed, and Harry stays outside of it for a moment, smelling the air again and getting an ulterior confirmation. He feels thrums of excitement run down his spine, and he covers his mouth with a hand, suppressing a stray giggle, before schooling his features back into neutrality, and knocking. “Button?” he calls, without opening the door. It’s been ages since he called his son that, but he can’t help it now. _My baby. Cute as a button_, he always said when Eric was a toddler, and Eric always giggled uncontrollably.

Now he’s fourteen, and too cool for cute nicknames made up by his Dad. The only nickname he doesn’t complain about is Zayn’s _beta_, and thank God, because Zayn might as well have a stroke if Eric tells him he’s too old to be called nicknames by his Baba. Harry, who is admittedly the most rational of the two when it’s about this kind of silly things, has accepted that Eric is not their lil’ Button anymore. Zayn is still working on it, and sometimes Harry wonders if Zayn will ever survive the moment in which even Nora will be old enough to demand that they don’t call her ‘Squirrel’ anymore.

Eric doesn’t even protest at the nickname. He just whimpers a little. “Daddy? What’s happening to me?” he says in a small wail.

It’s been ages since Eric called Harry ‘Daddy’ as well. Harry sighs, and slowly opens the door.

Eric is lying down on his bed, on his side facing the door. He’s lightly shaking, with his caramel eyes a little glossy and his cheeks extremely red. He looks flushed all over, even his neck and arms, whereas his complexion is usually as pale as Harry’s. The hair he got from Zayn, pitch black and a little curly now that he’s growing it, is messy and matted with sweat.

Harry sighs, stepping inside the room.

He remembers when he presented. It was horrible, and he rationally knew what was happening, but there’s hardly anything to be rational about, when your body feels like it’s doing things of its own, producing fluids you’ve never produced before, making you feel gross and filthy and _weird_.

Growing up is a fucking mess, and Harry is in his early forties now, and he still thinks that, sometimes.

Eric blinks, gasps and pants, and then covers his face with his hands when Harry sits down next to him on the bed. “What’s happening to me?”

Harry strokes his hair, as kindly as he can, until Eric finally lowers his hands and looks up at him. “You’re presenting, Button,” he says with a smile.

Eric gapes. “I am?”

Harry chuckles. “You had your classes in school, and the talk from us, which was very embarrassing for all of us, but mostly for your Baba. So you know, don’t you?”

Eric blinks furiously, his face so red it’s starting to look like it’s about to catch fire. “What is… _this_? It feels… weird, Dad. I feel so weird, like there’s something… _missing_? Like I _need _something?”

Harry feels his stomach churn a bit at that, and his own cheeks flare, but now it’s not the time to feel embarrassed, so he gulps down. “You’re Omega, baby,” he tells Eric. “Your body is telling you that it wants an Alpha knot.”

Eric goes even redder if it’s possible, and covers his face again, whining. “I’m gonna die.”

Harry snorts. “Just as melodramatic as your Baba,” he sighs, “You’re not gonna die, I promise. It’s your first heat. It’s gonna be over in less than a day, it’s always like that, and then you’ll be on suppressants so you won’t have another heat until you decide so. For now, all you can do is watch good porn for the next few hours, and I can ask uncle Lou to get you one of those new dildos with the fake knot,” he grins.

Eric squeals. “_Dad!_” he shrieks, “No! I’m fine! I’m fine, I swear!”

Harry grins again. “I knew you were fine,” he answers, gently stroking his shoulder.

Eric glares at him through his parted fingers on his face. “I understand why Baba always says you’re a little shit,” he declares, but Harry knows it’s fond.

Harry goes back to serious again, and smiles. “You’re safe here, Button. Your Baba and I will always take care of you, you know that, right? It’s gonna be over soon, but you will be happy when you’re gonna start thinking rationally again. Being Omega is just as important as being Alpha.”

Eric finally gets his hands away from his face, and smiles too. “I know. It must be pretty cool, for Baba to be so disgustingly in love with you, Dad,” he says with a grin, and then glares again. “But don’t call me Button. I’m too old for that.”

Harry stands up, sighing dramatically. “Where’s the Omega love? We’re pals now! Stuck in the same boat. Sharing the same fate. All of that.”

Eric rolls his eyes, which makes him look exactly like Zayn, and Harry chuckles. “Call me if you need anything. I’ll bring you plenty of water and minerals and food,” he says, “Oh, Eric?”

Eric nods.

Harry clears his throat. “Do you, um, do you want me to tell your Baba? Or do you wanna tell him yourself when he comes home from work?”

Eric groans and curses under his breath, which Harry pretends not to catch, because the kid needs some slack cut. “Please, you tell him?” he whines at Harry. “He’s gonna _freak_, Dad, best if you, like, _prepare _him a little?”

Harry laughs, and nods. “I agree,” he says easily, and goes out of Eric’s room closing the door.

He’s almost jumping out of his skin in excitement as he retrieves his phone and looks for his doctor’s number. He needs to calm down a little before calling Zayn, because Harry has to deliver this axe blow _extremely gently _to Zayn if he doesn’t want his husband to have a coronary and himself to end up prematurely widowed. So, he calls the doctor first, tells him that his son presented as Omega, and schedules an appointment to have him checked up so that they can make sure everything is okay and Eric will have his own suppressants prescription.

Harry then calls Louis and lets his excitement take over a little as he shrieks in the phone while Louis laughs and congratulates him. They agree that it’s best if Nora stays with Louis and Liam until the next day, because she’s still young and it’s probably better for Eric to take a break from his hyperactive little sister for a day, when he must be already on edge enough.

Then, Harry takes a couple deep breaths, and calls Zayn.

“Babe? Is Eric alright?” Zayn asks frantically, answering the call at the second ring.

Harry chuckles. “Yeah, babe, don’t worry, he’s okay. I, um, have something to tell you. You might want to sit.”

Zayn hums questioningly, and then, “I’m sitting. I’m in my office. What’s wrong? Harry?”

Harry mouths a curse, hearing how worried and jittery Zayn is, and decides to be done with it. “Eric wasn’t sick. He… he presented.”

Zayn is completely silent on the other end.

“Zayn?” Harry calls him, to make sure he’s alive.

Zayn audibly gulps down. “And?”

“He’s Omega, babe,” Harry sighs a smile. “He’s Omega.”

“Oh. Fuck. Okay. Oh God. What are we gonna do?” Zayn asks, and Harry can feel the smile and the widened eyes on Zayn even if he can’t see him.

He can’t help but snort. “What are we gonna do? We keep being his parents and we make sure he grows up fine and responsible and loved. Like we started doing the day he was born.”

Zayn sighs. “What if I fuck it up, babe?” he says after a moment.

Harry wishes Zayn was there with him so that he could hug him and kiss the worry out of him. “You won’t. You’re Alpha. _My _Alpha. Taking care of me and your children is in your DNA, babe. You’ll be perfect. And I’ll help. You take care of us, I take care of you. As we’ve been doing for the past fifteen years.”

“Okay. Okay. Fuck. Do I, like… is he in heat? Do I need to stay away from the house for a while?”

“No, no. I think he needs to see you. And first heat is always just a few hours, I’m sure it’ll be gone by the time you come home, Zayn.”

Zayn hums. “Really? I… I didn’t know,” he mutters. “First rut lasts five to seven _days_, this is like, not fair.”

Harry rolls his eyes. “Yeah well, at least _this _is easier for Omegas. Must be the consolation prize for being branded as needy sluts.”

He only says it as a joke, but the threatening growl escaping Zayn’s throat makes him shiver a little, and he curses himself. “I’m joking, babe. Nobody will brand me _or _your son as a needy slut. Also ‘cause they won’t have time before you bite their heads off their neck, right?”

Zayn, despite it all, chuckles. “Yeah. Tell him.”

“You tell him yourself,” Harry retorts, “He might be a little snappy when you come home and he feels the scent of an Alpha for the first real time. Be gentle with him, in that case, okay? I remember the day I presented and Grandma Georgie came to visit, I felt the impellent need to rip her face off.”

Zayn snorts a laugh. “That might just have been ‘cause it was _your gran_, babe, God rest her soul.”

Harry laughs. “Fair. But I mean it, Zayn. It’s… it’s a bit overwhelming at times, being Omega. Especially if you literally _just started _being one.”

Zayn sighs. “Okay. Snappy Omega in the house. It’ll be just like when we were dating, then.”

“Heeey,” Harry drawls.

Zayn laughs. “I love you.”

“I love you too, you stupid Alpha jock.”

“What about the Squirrel?” Zayn asks with a sigh.

Harry hums. “I talked to Louis, best if she stays with them until tomorrow, yeah? She’s too young to understand Eric probably needs a little bit of space today. You know her, always clinging to her big brother’s ankles.”

Zayn chuckles. “My lil’ Squirrel. Yeah,” he says, and then gasps. “Harry?”

Harry rolls his eyes, because he knows what’s coming. “Yes, Zayn?”

“The day Nora presents is probably the day I die.”

Harry sighs dramatically. “I’ll try to make the most of these last three or four years, then. Maybe even two. Women usually present earlier.”

Zayn gives a ridiculous squeal at that, and Harry almost pisses himself laughing. “Jesus,” Zayn mutters. “Okay. You’re a little shit even after all these years. I’ll see you later. I love you.”

Harry grins. “I love you too.”

+

When Harry hears the door open, he’s in the kitchen with Eric, who looks a little flustered but is certainly already out of his first heat. Harry sees him raise his head from his book and narrow his eyes, his head circling a little as he smells the air and catches Zayn’s Alpha scent.

He blinks at Harry. “You _like _this?” he murmurs, looking a bit aghast.

Harry grins. “Loads.”

Eric grimaces. “’S _gross_. Smells like… musk?”

Harry chuckles. “It’s my Alpha’s scent, of course it’s heaven to me. You only find it gross ‘cause it’s the scent of your Alpha _father_. We might have a bit of a Freudian problem in the house if you found _that _attractive,” he winks at Eric and goes for the door, ignoring the way Eric grimaces again and squeals a “Ew!!” at him.

Harry runs to Zayn in the entrance, noticing how Zayn is taking more time than usual to remove his coat and shoes, and he also smells the air circling his head, gasping and then bringing a hand to his chest, quite dramatically.

Harry rolls his eyes. “Hi. I missed you,” he says, wrapping his arms around Zayn’s neck and kissing him, because he did, and because he knows Zayn kinda needs the support. He’s always a bit scared of change.

Zayn sighs in their kiss, sagging a little against Harry. “How is he? Is he fine? Is he okay?” he then asks.

Harry smiles. “He’s peachy. Says you smell gross.”

Zayn gasps. “My own son!” he hisses.

Harry laughs, and grabs Zayn by a hand, gently guiding him to the kitchen.

When Zayn and Eric look at each other, Harry feels like there’s something he’s not quite catching, because he thought Zayn’s first reaction would be going to Eric to smile at him and envelop him in a hug.

Instead, Zayn smiles, only to then proceed to ignore the matter entirely, and help Harry set the table while he talks to them about _anything _except the news they have in their family that day. Eric’s gaze falls a little even if he smiles too.

Harry tries to catch Zayn’s eyes a couple times, his best _What the fuck are you doing _look in place, but Zayn doesn’t look at him, and his mouth is pressed in a thin, nervous line. Harry doesn’t think it’s a good call to confront Zayn about this in front of Eric, so he lets it go, and does his best to bring the atmosphere at the table to something a bit more bearable than whatever _this _is. He kinda wishes Nora was there, talking their ears off and making everything lighter as she started doing the _second _she said her first words.

Zayn acts normal, asks Eric about school and all, like he always does, except that it’s pissing Harry off that Zayn didn’t even comment on Eric presenting. He gets that Zayn’s embarrassed, but their son was clearly expecting Zayn to say something, and he’s bummed that Zayn isn’t, in fact, addressing the matter.

Harry could open the subject, but he doesn’t, because it’s not his place. It’s Zayn who is fucking up, and Harry told him Eric was gonna be particularly cranky, so it’s Zayn’s job to make up for it, now.

Zayn must notice that Harry’s also stroppy by then, because he frowns at him, and Harry just discreetly shakes his head when he knows Eric is too busy looking at his plate.

Zayn is a bit of a shithead, because as soon as they’re done eating, he busies himself with the dishes, giving both of them his back. Harry can see the tense line of his shoulders, but fuck if he knows what’s happening.

Eric smiles at Harry, a bit sadly, and goes out of the kitchen, to the living room.

Zayn doesn’t turn to look at Harry, and Harry rolls his eyes and follows Eric, because whatever it is Zayn’s pissed about, their son comes first.

“Button?” he asks when he sees him on the couch, scrolling Instagram on his phone so fast that he’s surely not even looking at it.

Eric doesn’t snap that he doesn’t want to be called Button. He doesn’t answer at all, he just hums shakily, and when Harry sits down next to him he realizes that Eric’s eyes are full of tears, and his lips are quivering.

Harry feels his stomach drop. “Eric? Are you… what’s wrong, baby?”

“Dad?” he says at last, turning to look at Harry, and two big tears drop from his long, long eyelashes when he blinks, “Do you think Baba’s mad because he wanted me to be Alpha?”

Harry gapes, and the thought is so absurd that it takes him a moment to process what Eric’s upset about. “No!” he exclaims, instantly pulling Eric in a hug, “Oh my God, Eric, no! There’s just no way Zayn’s _mad _about you being Omega! I’m sure of it, believe me.”

Eric sniffles a little on Harry’s chest, but he doesn’t let go of the hug when he replies. “Then why’s he mad?”

“He’s not mad,” Harry replies as surely as he can, “Zayn is Alpha but he hates most Alphas, trust me on this one.”

Eric pulls back and looks at Harry, frowning like he’s not understanding. Harry sighs. “Wait here. Your Baba is about to come talk to you or I’ll kick him in the bollocks,” he says, winking at Eric until Eric chuckles a little wetly.

Harry goes back to the kitchen, where Zayn is still dealing with the dishes. He’s drying them, and they look so clean and dry that the rag is squeaking against them.

“Zayn?” Harry says, more gently than he actually feels like talking.

And Zayn, because he’s just like Eric, doesn’t reply. He just hums shakily.

Harry sighs and reaches him at the sink, and when he grabs him by the shoulders to make him turn a little, he sees that Zayn is also about to cry, with tears pooled in his big eyes and his lips quivering. “I’m so fucking scared, Haz,” he says, chuckling bitterly, and when he does, a couple tears flow down his cheeks.

“Oh, Zayn,” Harry sighs, and wraps him in a hug, because he doesn’t need more words, he now understands what the real problem is.

Zayn goes easily, burying his face in the crook of Harry’s neck and sniffling. “I’m sorry I’m being like this,” he murmurs, “It’s just… he’s Omega, Harry, and it’s so fucking dangerous. Alphas are dangerous, they just think they have a right to claim anything that moves, and what if he says no and some Alpha doesn’t listen, what if someone hurts him, what if…”

Harry shushes Zayn, and quietly pulls back so that he can look at him in the face. “Zayn. Not _all _Alphas are like that. You aren’t. Liam isn’t. And our lil’ Button might always be _little and cute as a button _to us, but he’s strong, because we raised him right, yeah? So we have to confide in the fact that he’s gonna be responsible enough to know how to tell bad people from good people. And we’re gonna be here to help him do that.”

Zayn sniffles again, and nods. Harry smiles, because these days he rarely thinks about Zayn’s wariness of his own gender, but he’s reminded about a younger Zayn now, a Zayn who didn’t even want to let himself close to Harry because he thought Alphas could be nothing but trouble and hurt for Omegas.

But Eric comes first, so Harry sighs, and looks at Zayn straight in the eyes. “But you’re stupid, so now you go to our son and fix it.”

Zayn frowns. “What?”

Harry rolls his eyes. “Eric thinks that you’re mad because you wanted him to be Alpha.”

“_What_?!” Zayn hisses, “No! I don’t, I could never…”

Harry kisses him, briefly, to shut him up. “Tell him, not me.”

Zayn kisses Harry back, but then nods, and goes to the living room.

+

Harry’s right, because when Zayn shows up in the living room and sits on the couch next to Eric, he can see that Eric has been crying.

Zayn opens his mouth to speak, but Eric’s quicker. He turns, looks at Zayn, and sighs. “I’m sorry I’m not Alpha, Baba.”

Zayn feels so fucking guilty he wants to cry all over again. He never meant his stupid fears to make his own son believe that he’s not enough, that he’s _wrong_, that Zayn wants _anything else_ than what he is.

He shakes his head. “No, _beta_. I’m sorry. I never wanted you to be anything else from what you are, and I made you think otherwise just because I was scared. So I’m the one who’s sorry.”

Eric frowns. “Scared? You? But… you’re Alpha.”

Zayn chuckles. He still doesn’t know much about Omega biology, despite being with Harry for so many years, but it still feels weird whenever anyone thinks Alpha is just growling and pissing on one’s territory. He’s guilty of thinking the same things. But still.

He wraps an arm around Eric’s shoulders, pulling him closer and realizing just how _Omega _his son now smells. It’s weird, but it’s not bad. “Alpha is more being scared than being brave, _beta_.”

“What do you mean?”

Zayn takes a breath, and tries to explain it the best he can. “We’re… protective. I always look after your Dad, and you and Nora, and it’s because I love you three, but it’s also my nature. We’re protective of the people we love. And because we’re so protective, because _I _am so protective, I get scared shitless whenever I think one of you might be in danger. And there’s bad people out there. Bad Alphas. Who will smell that you’re Omega and will think they have claims over you when they don’t. And it scares me, that I’m not gonna be there to protect you all the time, always. So when I realized you’re Omega, I got scared. And I handled it poorly because I’m still Zayn Malik, and I’m shit at dealing with my issues.”

That gets a laugh out of Eric, but then he looks up at Zayn. “So it was just that? You’re not… not mad?”

Zayn smiles and shakes his head. “Absolutely not, _beta_. I’m… fuck, I’m so happy you found out who you are. Sorry, don’t tell your Dad I’m swearing. But I am. And I know your Dad is gonna be more of a reliable source to handle this, but I will do all I can to help. As I always try to do.”

Eric smiles, and he’s all cool and grown up now, but he doesn’t pull away from Zayn. He stays nestled against his side for a while. “Baba?”

“Yeah, _beta_.”

“I’m a bit scared of growing up,” he confesses, “I feel all weird in my own skin sometimes. How did you do it? You and Dad look so… grown up.”

Zayn laughs. “_Beta_, I think I only started to really grow up the minute you were born, if I’m honest.”

“What?”

“Yes. Because before, it was just me and Harry. And we love each other, but we were kids. Then, you came. And we understood that we had a responsibility toward the life we created, and that’s what made us start to really grow. So you can be scared of growing up, but I’ll help you, because you’ve been helping _me_ grow up for fourteen years now. The Squirrel too.”

Eric chuckles. “That’s lame, Baba.”

Zayn feels Harry’s presence before he sees it, because it’s his mate, the man he loves, his Omega. He shows up and plops on the couch next to Eric, on his other side, sighing. “Your Baba’s a little lame sometimes, yes,” he says, “But we will help you. Both of us. If you want, I can start by asking uncle Louis for that dildo.”

“_Dad_,” Eric growls.

Zayn growls too, low in his throat, because _no thanks I can be all fucking grown up but I won’t think about my baby and dildos, _ever. “Harry,” he growls in warning.

Harry winks at him, seemingly unfazed, and if Zayn knows him, that growl just turned him on right next to their fucking child. Harry grins.

Eric sits up, looks in between Harry and Zayn, and then settles on Harry. “You _like _that?” he asks Harry, abashed.

Harry goes a bit red, but then he clears his throat. “What, my Alpha being all growly? What’s not to like?” he replies innocently.

“Ew, gross,” Eric says, standing up. “But I think I understand the appeal. Hypothetically. If I don’t think that it’s my own Baba ‘cause that would be a huge Freudian mess in the house. I’ll go now. I’mma call my lil’ Squirrel to say goodnight to her, and I’ll leave you to your gross growly things. Goodnight.” he announces, kisses them both on the cheek, and goes out of the room.

Zayn looks at Harry, feeling his mouth unattractively open, and Harry stares at him for a whole second before barking a laugh and crawling on the couch until he’s the one who’s nestled against Zayn’s side. “I think we’re doing a pretty good job with them, all things considered,” Harry comments, kissing Zayn’s pec.

Zayn sighs, and smiles. “Yeah, babe. And whoever will be his Alpha, they will be fucking lucky to have him.”

Harry chuckles.

“In about seventy years,” Zayn adds like an afterthought. “When I’m dead. Before that, no Alphas around our lil’ Button.”

“Stop calling me Button, I’m fourteen!” Eric shouts from upstairs.

Harry giggles with his face in Zayn’s chest, and Zayn laughs a little too, sighing again and taking in the weird _silence _in the house. “I miss the Squirrel. It doesn’t feel like there’s a tornado upstairs when she’s not here.”

Harry chuckles, and nods. “We’re gonna let her come back home tomorrow, don’t worry, my love. Maybe she’s so hyper all the time ‘cause she’s Alpha?”

Zayn gasps. “Oh, Jesus. A _female Alpha _in the house? My Baba always says when Doni presented as Alpha it was a whole fucking mess, babe. Growling all the time and crying and then more growling.”

Harry tuts. “I think the worst that will happen is that she’ll demand that we stop calling her The Squirrel, to be honest.”

In that moment, they hear a gasp coming from the stairs, and when they both turn, they see Eric in the middle of the steps, quite pale, with a dramatic hand brought to his chest. “I’ll _never _stop calling her The Squirrel, what are you even _talking about_?” he shrieks.

Zayn takes in the abashed expression on Eric’s face, and he laughs, hard, wondering if he looked equally ridiculous when he had to come to terms with Eric not wanting to be called Button anymore. Then, he grins. “I think you’ll have to just suck it up, _Button_,” he tells his son.

Eric glares at him, and then rolls his eyes. “You always say Dad’s a little shit, but you’re no different, Baba,” he declares, and then goes back to his room before any of them can scold him about his language.

Harry smiles widely, all his dimples on full display, and Zayn is a bit overwhelmed by Harry being happy, as is always the case. So he gently grabs him by the chin, to make him tilt his head upwards, and he kisses him, slow and hard. “Yeah, we did a good job with ‘em,” he whispers to Harry.

Harry chuckles. “Yeah. And whatever the Squirrel is, she’ll be a fucking tornado for the rest of our lives anyway.”

Zayn sighs happily, and leans more into the backrest of the couch, his arm still around Harry’s shoulders. “We’ve weathered worse storms, my love.”

**Author's Note:**

> This might be the first non-explicit fic I ever wrote. It was cute to write, and I quite like it, but it's probably just 'cause I have a very soft spot for Harry and Zayn's kids.
> 
> Let me know what you're thinking, and I'm open for requests in this 'verse :)
> 
> I am also on Tumblr as wont-you-stay-till-the-am.tumblr.com, come hit me up if you wanna talk.


End file.
